2024 / News / PSA

Australian Open

Demies

[1] Victor Crouin3-1 [4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)  11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-2 (57m)
[2] Youssef Soliman (EGY) 3-0  [3] Sebastien Bonmalais 11-5, 13-11, 11-4 (43m)

The No.1 seed in the men’s competition Crouin dispatched Swiss No.2 Dimitri Steinmann in four games to earn his place in tomorrow’s title decider. Crouin, a winner of the Australian Open on the PSA Challenger Tour, handled the testing court conditions the better while his physicality was also pivotal in securing his first appearance in a final since the Squash on Fire Open in 2023.

Having lost the first game, Steinmann responded well in the second, finding success in lengthy rallies contested between the two to restore parity. However, Crouin regrouped to drive the ball deep into the corners and put plenty of work into Steinmann’s legs to close out a 3-1: 11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-2 victory in just under an hour.

“First of all I’m happy to be back in the final of a Bronze event – that’s what I came here for,” he said. “I’ve missed my shots to get into finals of Bronze events this season, so it was important for me to go all the way here and I’m going to enjoy the final.

“Regarding that match, I’m pretty happy about it. Usually I’d be happy to win in three games but I didn’t have that consistency in the second game to close it out. But I was happy to come back in the third and the fourth and play some good squash, more consistent squash all the way through and get through the end.”

It will be the second time Crouin meets Soliman in a final of a Bronze-level event after the No.2 seed produced an accomplished performance to beat Sebastien Bonmalais.

Soliman, who beat Crouin in the CIB Zed Squash Open 2022 decider, looked in complete control against Bonmalais to notch a 3-0: 11-5, 13-11, 11-4 triumph to make it back-to-back final appearances in a Bronze-level tournament.

Quarts de finales

[1] Victor Crouin 3-0 [5] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG)  11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[3] Sebastien Bonmalais 3-0 [7] Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (42m)

[2] Amina Orfi (EGY) 3-0 [8] Marie Stephan  11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (39m)

In the men’s competition, Sébastien Bonmalais earned his maiden semi-final appearance on the World Tour after defeating Henry Leung 3-0.

The Frenchman’s patient play was rewarded as he extended the rallies to force a number of errors from Leung, helping Bonmalais go two games up.

World No.33 Bonmalais, who’s been a quarter finalist at PSA World Tour events three times before, found the back corners well in the third to round off an excellent performance over Leung in 42 minutes.

“It sounds good being in a semi-final of a World Tour event for the first time,” he said afterwards.

“It’s been a long time since I started going up the rankings and playing the bigger tournaments, and I’m happy I managed to win 3-0 today and keep some energy for the rest of the tournament.

“I played well today. Henry [Leung] is a tough player and a fighter. Last time I played him I knew I had to have a lot of pace and move him around the court. That’s what I did today and I’m happy and I’m looking forward.”

Bonmalais meets No.2 seed Youssef Soliman for a place in the final tomorrow night.

Second Tour

Marie Stephan and Sarah Cardwell on court during their second round match at the Australian Open

[8] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) 3-1 Brice Nicolas  11-6, 4-11, 11-5, 12-10 (86m)
[1] Victor Crouin 3-0 Toufik Mekhalfi  11-8, 11-9, 11-8 (36m)
[5] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 3-1 Edwin Clain 4-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-6 (42m)
[3] Sebastien Bonmalais bt Noor Zaman (PAK)  11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3 (40m)

[8] Marie Stephan  3-0 Sarah Cardwell (AUS)  11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (30m)

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Premier Tour

Brice Nicolas 3-0 Yannik Omlor (GER)  12-10, 11-2, 11-1 (31m)
Edwin Clain 3-0 Matthew Lai (HKG)  12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (44m)
Toufik Mekhalfi 3-0 Sanjay Jeeva (MAS)  11-9, 11-8, 13-11 (56m)

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